HISD doesn’t use the State’s approved instrument for appraising its teachers and identifying areas that would benefit from staff development, the Professional Development and Appraisal System (PDAS)!!!??? Where is the money coming from to redesign HISD’s teacher evaluation process? HISD found money, during a a budget crisis, to hire a consulting firm or assign staff to revamp their teacher evaluations?

This is idiocy. What teacher will stay in a school with low-performing students? Everyone will want to go to Bellaire HS or DeBakey. No one will willingly go to Washington or Furr or Jeff Davis. Why don’t school boards and administrators understand this? The turnover among teachers at schools in low-income areas will be tremendous.

HISD’s school board needs a new way to be evaluated! They stink! They pay $300,000 to a superintendent who was fired, stop the magnet school reevaluation, fire a principal from Kashmere who was innoncent of theft, decide that they don’t need 750 employees because of a budget crunch (why were they hired in the first place?), pay $100,000 plus to bring in a multitude of administrators that aren’t being fired, keep a 40 million dollar incentive program along with the superintendent’s bonus, and basically don’t listen to the public! In reality, the Bellaire area and Sharpstown area are to blame because they are the people who elected a cheater and a worthless school board member.

Once again, Terry & the HISD Board condescendingly underestimate the intelligence of their teachers. This new evaluation is nothing more that a sneeky way get rid of teachers for extremely subjective reasons… Who do you think will get the worst students to teach? Who do think will have the hardest group to work with to improve scores? If you said the one in the short, tight, skirt…well you’re wrong! If you said the coach that teaches only half a day…well you’re wrong. If you said the relative (or spouse) of some administrator…well you know.

Yet another move to transforming our youth into well-trained cogs for corporate America — people who are good at following directions, filling in the bubbles on the standardized tests … but can’t think for themselves!

hooray! this is great news. i was at the board meeting. stipeche and galloway’s comments against the proposal were weak. the other board members did a great service to HISD and seemed to have a clear understanding of what they were voting for.

i thought there were two votes? 7-2 the first time, and 8-1 the second, but maybe stipeche doesn’t know how to use the voting machine? she seemed a little confused at the end there. ericka, why were there 2 votes? does this mean teachers will be evaluated with this new system next year? why did that board member (was it paula harris?) say you got the 50% figure wrong?

So … there’s always so much talk about “teaching to the test” – does the school board not hear that???

Teachers need to be evaluated – all employees do. But you tell a teacher they’re to be evaluated based on their kids test scores and forget educating kids: it’ll still ALL be about those blasted tests and no real learning.

While they are implementing the new appraisal system based on student growth they have yet to figure out for example how they are going to evaluate grade 8 Social Studies and Grade 8 Science. They have committees who keep trying to figure it out. Use TAKS vs. Stanford? Stanford vs. Stanford? Pre-Test vs. Post test? On and on and on and on……… They are literally making it up as they go along.

Here is the problem. They are winging it. They know that they want to use test measurements so they have gone ALL-In in creating this policy. Yet, ask them to explain in detail about what measurements they will use and inquire about the validity and reliability, they are perplexed.

Peoples lives and careers are too important and the consequences are too severe to half-… this thing.

When Nancy Pelosi said, regarding health-care, “We have to pass the bill to learn what is in it”, we all laughed at the foolish logic.

When President Bush removed a tyrant within two weeks but had an ill advised second stage game-plan regarding what to do next, people died.

Now, the HISD leadership is jumping in the shallow end head first with this thing with little to no regard to the consequences. In fact, they are not jumping in at all, they are throwing good teachers in head first. That is sad.

I believe that if we were to know these individuals on personal levels we would find them to be hard working caring people who want to do right by our students and our city. Unfortunately, like so many other politicians, they have placed their own agendas and objectives ahead of thoughtful inquiry and needed answers to glaring problems within the system they know exists.

Like other politicians they will believe they can address these issues as they occur, fixing the inequities over time. That does nothing to help the people who will suffer until then.

We see this every day in our political system. We see well meaning leaders sacrificing sound policy to scratch off another agenda item on their to-do list…..think Obama-Care, Iraq, Stimulus, etc. etc.

Congratulations, HISD Leadership. You can check off another agenda item. They better make room for the agenda items to correct the unintended consequences they have created. Or, perhaps, they will kick the can down the road for others to repair long after you have moved on, with resume in hand.

The Board should be feeling very lucky that the koolaid they were given is only going to ruin their political careers personally. But if the seven losers who voted for this had any character, they would have tought about the damage this demonstrably phony evaluation plan is going to do to teachers.

So really, from the time they talked themselves into secretively hiring Grier until now, our Board has committed itself to hiring a proven failure, chasing off a great deal of talent that could have helped through these tough times, chasing off experienced successful teachers, and now implementing a plan designed to make experienced teachers a thing of the past.

This Board is easily the worst Board in HISD history.

It will take millions of dollars to unwind the damage, settle the inevitable lawsuits, and get rid of the Grier gang.

I applaud HISD for moving towards an appraisal system that incorporates outcome measures. However, changing any major system usually results in unintended consequences. I think it is foolhardy to roll this system out district wide without piloting the instrument and making revisions where necessary. Given teachers livelihoods are on the line, that would have been prudent.

Yup – we’re screwed. Remember, this will also go into affect with a new test the state refuses to give us much guidance on, and for some people a new curriculum which was conjured up by those with the same views as those who participated in the Salem Witch Trials. But I still want to know and no one has or it seems will, answer my question: how much will it cost to impliment this new horrible unfair system???

Well, they they go again, (the HISD Board) what a bunch of idots! and Grier included. Forget listening to parents, TEACHERS and the rest of the community. The Fureur Adolph Grier dictates and the Board rubber stamps. What a great way for HISD to get rid of great teachers and have other districts pick them up.

You have got to be absolutely insane to work for HISD!! Get the heck out while you can HISD teachers!

hooray for voting for a system that actually holds teachers accountable for their students’ outcomes! great move by HISD. this is but one step in making sure kids get the best teachers possible. we have to have a way to distinguish between good teachers, bad teachers, and everything in between.

so perplexing why anyone would be against holding people accountable for how well they’re doing their jobs! standardized tests are imperfect measures of that, but let’s not allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good!

the Master teacher…. You have given teachers something they all need to think about! Could you be wise enough to have escaped this destruction or are you planning on jumping off the Titanic before it hits the bottom where it will remain?? This ship is surely destined for doom and gloom and to bad the educRATS are not going to be the first to abandon ship before this horible tragedy happens! Oops forgot, they will all be the first in the lifeboats to escape the mess they knew would be coming because they have created it!!!!! Oh by the way…Liz you go ahead and stay on board with HISD and be brave enough to go down with the ship!!LOL

I and many others would agree with you if they were using student test scores and calssroom observations to determine effective teaching. But, that is not what HISD is doing. There are teachers in this district who have 100% meeting standard and 99% commended on the state TAKS exam who the district has attempted to put on “growth plans” for “negative” EVASS growth, as determined by the secret formula for which they themselves cannot explain or understand. Is that what you call holding teachers accountable?

Are teachers who have the highest test scores on their campuses “good teachers”? If so, then you need to rethink your prior argument for which you obviously have little knowledge. As I have said before, this is the problem with my side of the debate. My side tries to point out legitimate flaws within the EVASS formula and tries to point out that highly effective teachers with high test scores are being valued as low performing while the HISD leadership can simply counter our concerns with shallow rhetoric of “holding teachers accountable” and putting “effective” teachers in every classroom……Duh! Winning!

Liz, If you truly care about student outcomes you would desire a system that provides accurate “data”. Its not that the HISD formula is not perfect, it is horrible, Liz. On every campus in this district the teachers and principals are aware of the flaws. The problem is that only a handful of principals are brave enough to stick out their necks to the leadership of Team HISD and to challenge them on their system. Far too many are too concerned with surving the HISD carrer-ending “Red Scare” that has occured over the last two years.

I am not, nor have I ever been, a member of the low performing teachers…….

Shame on you, Anna Eastman. You fooled your friends in education that you would make sure they were heard. Now, you have drank the Kool-Aid. Don’t bother saying hello next time we meet. How could you turn on those who voted you in?

HISD is lying when they say they are getting rid of ineffective teachers. At my school, it was “last one in, first one out.”

I was given 6 special education students this year, along with 3 who technically didn’t pass the previous grade but were promoted anyway. You want to fire me based on that?!? (and yes, i am a “high performing teacher by their standards.)

Let me tell you what’s going to happen: You’d better hope that your child gets a “true” teacher. I mean, the ones who were born with the passion, that truly put their students first. We will continue to do what is right for your children until we are fired. Then sorry, public. You’ll be left with those who are only concerned with bowing down to The Man so they don’t get fired. Morals, and ethical standards can’t be ignored. This isn’t corporate America- it’s creating our future through our children.

It’s interesting, my child received commended every year in TAKS with highest scores, PHS on Stanford, and makes higher grades then the district standards, but for some reason gets pulled for afterschool tutoring to get help for TAKS. Hummm, is that because they’re afraid my child will not get commended, or miss one problem so it will bring down growth. It’s very difficult to make growth if you are at its highest level. Teachers can’t show growth for a child like mine, so, does that mean they’ll get fired?

It’s insane, contrary to what many people think, this value added program only helps the low and average students, or teachers at these low and average student type classes. Those students that are gifted seemed to be the ones that are pushed harder because they don’t have much room to grow and the teachers end up not showing growth, and then are put on a growth plan. It’s plain insane.

The title of this article alone is disturbing. By telling us that they have agreed to it, the grammar makes it sound as though it was foisted upon them instead of the carefully controlled and highly scripted program that it was. The SDMC at my school was basically hijacked for this purpose and therefore other school issues haven’t been discussed at all. I really would have to agree, in this instance, with the people who believe that the Chronicle is a free positive publicity for HISD. I really feel that some fact checking might be appropriate here.

We ran at least two articles before the board vote on the new evaluation that raised questions about the process. If people on your school’s SDMC committee would like to talk to me about their experience, my e-mail address is ericka.mellon@chron.com.

I am part of our school’s SDMC, and not one of us agrees with this new appraisal system. Of course teachers are not going to willingly hold themselves accountable for variables beyond their own control. EVAAS can’t possibly account for all the confounding and lurking variables associated with student test scores.

If the administration is so certain that they have teacher buy-in, then let every SDMC vote yea or nay on this new appraisal system. Our SDMC certainly never took a vote. In fact we repeatedly voiced our concern over EVAAS.

HISD is now paying more to summer school teachers who have high “value added” data then those with less “growth”. Teachers who have negative EVASS data….need not apply.

It is funny. There are teachers in HISD who have the highest test scores on their campus who, according to Team HISD, are not qualified to teach summer school students.

The sad part of all of this is that the HISD leaderless-ship team is well aware of the problems, inconsistencies, and lack of viability and reliability of their EVASS system. They have met and tried to formulate committees to address these problems. They have corresponded with teachers, admins,, and experts regarding the problems. They have been exposed to the literature and research that demonstrates the problems. Yet, they have stubbornly married themselves to doing this thing, completely disregarding any and all legitimate concerns.

None of this will change until parents in the communities become educated of what is happening to their children’s quality education. None of this will change until parents demand their children receive an education that is not driven by TAKS exams and test taking skills.

Parents. Do your child a service. When the HISD “bonuses” are made public and you see who does and does not egt bonuses on your child’s campus, please contact the school administration and inquire as to the accuracy of the EVASS system. Call your board member and ask them to explain and justify the “data”.

Terry talks about an “effective teacher in every classroom”, yet, at Jackson Middle School last year, the principal pulled a grade 6 core content teacher from his class to do grade 8 TAKS prep, thus, leaving the grade 6 students with a long term sub for several months. Does Terry consider long term subs to be an “effective teacher in every classroom”?…Hmmmmmmmm?

If my child had attended that school in grade 6, I, as a parent would have been OUTRAGED that my child was being cheated out of a quality education so their state certified content teacher could be moved to do TAKS camp. But, what does Team HISD do? They promoted the principal who did this to Lee High School so she can implement such strategies over there.

Said teacher loses points on evaluation and is marked down because HISD predicted this student to pass with a 50% probability. True, this means that there was also a 50% possibility this child would fail; nevertheless, HISD would rather blame the teacher.

This is why teachers are against this system. This happens all too often. Perhaps the higher score was a fluke, or perhaps not. Whatever the case might be, this child is having severe difficulty and it started before testing year 4. However, the fourth year testing teacher is penalized.

teqcher2 and Catalina point out the sort of results you get when a bully is put in charge. They are one trick ponies who hid their inability to lead behind their ability to bully. So when real leadership is required, when thoughtful nuanced policies are called for, all the bully can do is to continue to bully.

HISD, thanks to its secretive irresponsible Board, hired a bully of national profile, who brought in bullies and flunkies to help him, and now we are reaping the inevitable rotten fruit.

Here are two more examples from one classroom setting. Remember, if the teacher does not meet the prediction he or she is considered to be ineffective. Imagine where this teacher falls under the teacher-evaluation system.